"CalSavers, the largest state-facilitated automatic individual retirement account program for people who do not have access to a workplace retirement plan in the U.S., reduced employees' fees for program operations and underlying investments on May 1.... [T]he fixed account fee per participant was reduced to $3.50 per quarter ($14 annually) from $4.25 per quarter ($17 annually). The total annualized asset-based fee was reduced to a range between 0.225% and 0.39%, from between 0.325% to 0.49%." MORE >>
"The Tennessee General Assembly recently passed the Freedom, Access and Integrity in Registered Pharmacy Act, known as the FAIR Rx Act (SB 2040/HB 1959). The legislation targets vertical integration in the pharmacy market by prohibiting certain entities from owning or controlling a pharmacy while also owning or controlling a PBM and a health insurance issuer. This is not a minor transparency bill. It is not simply another reporting requirement. It is a structural reform bill." MORE >>
"Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) on May 1 signed into law legislation that authorizes the state of Tennessee to be a non-bank custodian for Trump Account funds.... The legislation began as a means to lay the groundwork for a state-run retirement plan that would have provided coverage for those whose private-sector employers do not offer a retirement plan. But that language was replaced by the current wording." MORE >>
13 pages. "Maryland finalized paid family and medical leave (PFML) regulations in advance of contributions starting next year. New York and Washington, DC, tweaked their PFML laws. Oregon issued guidance on PFML and paid sick and safe leave (PSSL).... Florida, Ohio, and Virginia passed significant pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) laws while Maine clarified a prior law through regulations. New Mexico and South Dakota focused on prior authorization.... Mississippi eased access to association health plans, and a Wyoming law enabled independent contractors to open portable benefit accounts.... San Francisco's new methodology for compliance with the Healthy Airport Ordinance (HAO) started." MORE >>
"This ruling clarifies that even where a plaintiff adequately alleges a potential PFML violation, such claims cannot be brought against individual supervisors and board members ... [E]xecutives and managers should remain cautious and cognizant of their legal obligations under the PFML and other employment laws.... [E]mployers should ensure that communication with employees on leave is handled only by specifically designated personnel ... and that any necessary outreach is kept to a minimum." [Laughlin v. BinStar, Inc. (Delaware), No. 2584CV01816 (Mass. Super. Ct. Feb. 26, 2026)] MORE >>
"This report provides an overview of employees' access to paid sick leave in the United States, discusses state laws that create an entitlement to such leave and research on the impacts of these mandates, and describes recent federal proposals to increase access to paid sick leave." [R48921 Apr. 28, 2026] MORE >>
"Employers must provide eligible employees with job-protected leave to bond with a new child, or care for themselves or a covered family member ... Employees must receive a percentage of weekly wages (approximately 80%), capped at 100% of the statewide average weekly wage for up to 12 weeks ... The program is funded through both employer and employee contributions, with employers permitted to deduct up to 50% of the contribution from the employees' wages" MORE >>
"On April 1, 2026, the San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement began accepting 2025 Annual Reporting Form submissions from covered employers. Compliance with the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance (SF HCSO) and Fair Chance Ordinance (FCO) must be reported through the online portal. The deadline for 2025 calendar year reporting is May 1, 2026." MORE >>
"The new program will be administered by the Virginia Employment Commission, funded through payroll contributions beginning April 1, 2028, and will begin paying benefits on December 1, 2028.... Virginia's PFML program differs from its federal counterpart in who is covered, which relationships and reasons qualify, how benefits are funded, and when job-restoration rights attach." MORE >>
"The FAMLI Division's employer-focused resources include dedicated webpages, downloadable FAQ documents, and direct contact information, all of which are designed to walk employers through every phase of implementation." MORE >>
"[A] Massachusetts Superior Court clarified that the Massachusetts PFMLA does not impose individual liability to corporate officers or agents because the law's definition of 'employer' does not extend liability to individuals. The court also rejected an aiding-and-abetting theory under the PFMLA." [Laughlin v. BinStar, Inc. (Delaware), No. 2584CV01816 (Mass. Super. Ct. Feb. 26, 2026)] MORE >>
"Eligible employees may receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave, with wage replacement of up to 80% of the employee’s average weekly wage, subject to a statutory cap. The program is funded through employer and employee payroll contributions.... Payroll contributions will begin April 1, 2028, and the VEC will begin receiving claims and paying benefits to covered individuals starting Dec. 1, 2028." MORE >>
"These regulations incorporate no substantive changes from the proposed regulations released in October 2025. The Maryland [DOL] has also recently released two important updates: The application window for employers who wish to submit their Declaration of Intent (DOI) to offer a private plan will be September 1, 2026-November 15, 2026. Total premium rate for the State Plan, effective January 1-December 31, 2027, will be 0.9%, consistent with the rate previously published by DOL." MORE >>
"The final regulations set out detailed requirements for [Equivalent Private Insurance Plans (EPIPs)], which may be self-insured or commercially-insured.... An employer wishing to utilize an EPIP is required to submit an EPIP application to the MDOL's FAMLI Division for approval.... Self-insured EPIPs must obtain a surety bond issued by a certified surety company in an amount equal to one year of expected future benefits....An employer whose EPIP application is denied or whose EPIP is involuntarily terminated may file a request for review within ten business days, and the Division must issue a decision within twenty business days." MORE >>
"Last year, legislatures in Arizona, Maryland, Nebraska, and Texas enacted bills to address AI use in health insurance determinations.... [T]his post summarizes legislation under consideration in the first quarter of 2026 that governs health insurers' use of AI in determinations such as prior authorization and utilization review." MORE >>
"Eligible employees may file an application for benefits within sixty days before the anticipated start date of leave and no later than sixty days after the start date.... Employers have five business days to respond to notice of an employee's submitted claim application.... The final regulations allow for the reduction of FAMLI eligibility by an employee's federal [FMLA] use if the FMLA leave also qualified for FAMLI, the employer notified the employee of their potential FAMLI eligibility, and the employee did not apply." MORE >>
"Officials predicted 130,000 applications for the entire year; 62,000 people applied by the end of March.... Small-business employers report varied experiences with the program, with some grateful for the chance to offer workers a benefit they previously couldn't afford while others bemoan the added cost and last-minute gaps that create administrative headaches." MORE >>
"Under SB170, if an employee with a non‑compete is fired 'without cause,' then the non‑compete is unenforceable unless the employer provides 'severance benefits or other monetary payment,' which must be 'disclosed upon execution' of the agreement. The law does not define 'cause,' 'severance benefits,' or 'other monetary payment.' Nor does the law mandate that the required monetary payment fully compensate the employee for the restricted period. The law affects only non‑competes entered into or amended on or after July 1, 2026." MORE >>
"Alaska's government employees do not participate in Social Security, which leaves a significant gap in retirement benefits. Most of the state's government workers participate in the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan (SBS-AP), which more than replaces the benefits they would have received under Social Security. School employers, however, do not offer this benefit, leaving teachers at significant risk of inadequate savings for retirement. Senate Bill 55 (SB 55) aims to address this gap by making the same SBS plan available to teachers through school employers." MORE >>
"The final regulations, effective March 30, 2026, preserve much of the proposed framework with certain refinements.... Key provisions of the regulations related to important definitions, the creation of online employer accounts, and mandatory notices are summarized below. Subsequent articles in this series will address the claims process, leave entitlements, EPIPs, and dispute resolution." MORE >>
"On January 1 a new California law (AB 692, enacting California Business and Professions Code section 16608) became effective. It broadly regulates payments to employees or independent contractors that are subject to repayment. As applied to executives, the law potentially invalidates any payments subject to repayment (such as buyout awards when executives are newly hired), unless they fit within a specific and detailed exception." MORE >>
"[T]he deadline for employers covered by the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO) to submit the required 2025 annual reporting form (ARF) is May 1, 2026. Employers that miss the deadline may face a $500 penalty for each quarter the reporting is delayed. The 2025 ARF, instructions and other resources are available on the city and county of San Francisco's website, along with ARF FAQs and information about the HCSO." MORE >>
"[C]ertain changes to the New York City Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA) went into effect on February 22, 2026.... [A]dditional Rules and FAQs have been published offering further developments and guidance ... [1] Notice of Employee Rights ... [2] Determining size of employer ... [3] Change in employer size ... [4] Employers located outside New York City must provide protected time off to employees who work in New York City.... [5] Broad interpretation of 'family member' ... [6] Advance notice from employee ... [7] Documentation ... [8] Discipline." MORE >>
"Legislation that would have laid the groundwork for a state-run retirement plan providing coverage for those whose private-sector employers do not offer a retirement plan had been coursing through both chambers of the Tennessee legislature. But not anymore -- that language has been replaced with wording that would instead authorize the state of Tennessee to serve as a non-bank custodian for Trump Account funds." MORE >>
"[1] Inadequate notice and communication.... [2] Mismanaging continuous vs. reduced schedule (intermittent) leave.... [3] 'Topping off' PFML benefits with PTO/mandatory exhaustion of accrued leave.... [4] Overlooking PFML coverage for remote and hybrid employees.... [5] Retaliation and perceived retaliation." MORE >>
